


How To Deal With Homesickness

by Kyrate



Category: Dark Artifices Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: F/M, his kitchen got wrecked again, poor julian, the blackthorns - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2016-03-21
Packaged: 2018-05-28 04:34:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6315184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyrate/pseuds/Kyrate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cristina is feeling a little down about being away from home so Mark decides to surprise her</p>
            </blockquote>





	How To Deal With Homesickness

“Alright what’s up with you?” Cristina looked up from her book at Emma Carstairs, who was leaning against the doorframe looking at her with raised eyebrows. Cristina had gone to the training room to practice for a few hours and then had snuck off to the library. Only she was really there to mope in solitude. “You’ve been acting weird all day.”

“I have not been acting weird, I am perfectly normal.”

“Sure, and i’m best friends with Channing Tatum.” Emma said plopping down beside her on the couch. 

“Is that an actual person? Because that doesn’t sound like a real name.” 

“Nevermind,” Emma said with a wave of her hand “but i’m serious. What’s wrong? We’re friends Tina you can tell me.” She had turned towards Cristina slightly and was looking at her expectantly. “Is it about Perfect Diego?” Cristina rolled her eyes.

“No, it’s not about Diego. I’m just feeling a little homesick is all.” Emma looked at her in surprise, Cristina was so calm and thoughtful most of the time that Emma hadn’t realized that she even felt bothered by homesickness.

“So you miss Mexico City?” Emma asked. Cristina leaned over and set the book on the coffee table, she then turned towards Emma and crossed her legs

“I do,” she said “I miss buying churros off street vendors and seeing shows at the Palacio de Bellas Artes and walking through Alameda Central Park afterwards. Los Angeles is beautiful but I… it doesn’t feel the same.” She admitted. Emma reached for her hand and laced their fingers together.

“I’m sorry Tina, it must be hard leaving home and your family for the first time. What can I do to help?” Cristina released a breath.

“I don’t really want to think about home.” She said, “can we just do some mindless task instead, to take my mind off things?” Emma grinned wickedly as she rose from the couch.

“I’ve been meaning to marathon NCIS for ages. Come on, i’ll go steal the computer from the twins and you can make the popcorn.” Cristina grinned and followed Emma out of the room.

 

____________________

 

Mark was not a person who spent a lot of time eavesdropping on his friends. So when he happened to pass by the library it certainly wasn’t his intention for listen in on Emma and Cristina’s conversation.

“I miss buying churros off street vendors and seeing shows at the Palacio de Bellas Artes then walking through Alameda Central Park afterwards. Los Angeles is beautiful but I… it doesn’t feel the same.” Mark felt a rush of sympathy, he had ridden and fought with the Wild Hunt for years, and never once had he been able to return home until now. He knew how Cristina felt.

He reasoned right there that he should do something to make her feel a little more at home in Los Angeles, but what should he do? He remembered what Cristina mentioned and a plan started to form in his head. He dashed out of the hallway and made his way to the twins room. He knocked twice and the door swung open, revealing a disgruntled looking Ty.

“What is it Mark?” He asked raising an eyebrow. Ty was wearing a gray sweatshirt and held Sherlock Holmes in his right hand.

“May I use the computer for a moment?” Ty frowned in confusion.

“What do you need it for? You never want to use the computer.”

“I know, but I must look something up and I can’t find it in the library. May I use it please?” Ty considered it for a moment before stepping to the side and letting Mark into his room. Mark plopped down at the desk and turned on the computer, hearing the start up jingle. “I have another question.” Mark said turning to Ty. The younger boy cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrows. “How do you use the printer?”

 

____________________

 

Cristina was in the training room practicing with her butterfly knives when she smelled it. It was a horrible burning smell that made her gag and her eyes watered. She dropped her knives and dashed out of the room, hopefully she could find the source of the fire and put it out before it spread. She sprinted throughout the house following the burnt flour fumes before skidding to a stop before the kitchen door and letting out a shriek of horror.

Mark Blackthorn stood at the stove, barefoot in a green t-shirt and jeans, his white apron that was adorned with hearts was spattered with flour, batter, and cinnamon. The countertop was adorned with various batter covered bowls and ingredients and on top of the stove was a pan full of bubbling oil, black fumes rose up from the pan, probably from the burnt shapes inside of it. There were streaks of batter on Mark’s face and, if Cristina didn’t know any better, there was a fine dusting of sugar in his hair.

“What happened here?” She asked appalled. Mark looked from her to the stove mournfully.

“I burned them,” he said. At that exact moment Julian, Emma, Ty, Dru, Livvy, and Tavvy all barrelled into each other behind Cristina and froze at the door. Julian had a look on his face of abject horror, Ty, Livvy, and Emma looked amused, Dru was confused, and Tavvy was looking at mark with interest.

“Why does it smell like something died?” Tavvy asked. Julian made a choking sound and pointed at Mark, the look on his face was a mix between anger and horror. 

“What. Did. You. Do.” He hissed as his gaze swept the messy room. This was the second time that Mark’s cooking had turned the kitchen into a pig sty. Julian was seconds away from snapping, but Cristina cut in before he could start howling.

“It’s alright Julian I will help him clean up.” Julian looked like he was going to object, but Emma grabbed his hand and started to drag him away.

“Well now that we know that Mark isn’t roasting a dead opossum on a spit we’ll let you two tidy up.” Emma pulled Jules away from the door and out of sight. The rest of the kids slowly left the kitchen, with curious looks passed to both Mark and Cristina as they left. Cristina grabbed some of the dirty bowls and brought them over to the sink, Mark had turned off the stove and was prodding at his failed meal sadly.

“You know I resent the implication that I would eat an opossum willingly." He said grimacing. "They taste terrible."

“You’ve made quite the mess again.” She said shaking her head and smiling. Mark shrugged.

“Yes, well, I might never learn how to cook otherwise.” Mark abandoned his apron and joined Cristina at the sink with a handful of dirty dishes. He handed her the dish soap as he started scrubbing at the grime coating the wooden spoon he was holding.

“What exactly were you trying to make?” Cristina asked, taking the now clean spoon from him and placing it on the drying rack. Mark paused for a moment, as if he was debating with himself whether or not he should tell her, before sighing.

“I was trying to make churros,” he said, holding up a printed out churro recipe covered in butter stains. Cristina stopped drying off dishes and looked at him in surprise. Mark met her gaze sheepishly, a faint blush colored his cheeks. “I might have overheard you and Emma talking earlier,” he said. “Look, I know what it feels like to be homesick, I know how the feeling can eat away at you and make you wonder what it is like back home with your family and friends. I understand how it feels, so I wanted to make things easier for you, make something that reminded you of home so you wouldn’t feel so sad.” He looked away from her then, and glared at his burnt desserts on the stovetop. “But i’ve failed miserably, I did not quite realize how tricky little bits of dough are to fry.”

Mark looked back at Cristina and felt his breath catch in his throat. She was smiling at him, her cinnamon colored eyes crinkled at the corners, and her smile was brilliant, showing two rows of straight white teeth. Mark did not think that he had ever seen anything more dazzling in his life. Suddenly his failure at cooking did not seem so monumental after all.

“They might not have turned out the way you wanted them,” she said putting a wet hand on his shoulder, “but it is very sweet of you. I appreciate it, even though i’m not part of your family…”

“Don’t be silly” he said. “I am convinced Emma and Julian have already made you an honorary Blackthorn.” Mark didn’t think it was possible but Cristina’s smile grew even wider. She leaned over and planted a kiss on his right cheek, Marks blush deepened.

“Thank you Mark, and maybe one day soon i’ll teach how to actually make churros because this,” she said holding up the piece of paper, “is a terrible recipe.”

“You’d like to cook with me?” He asked, a smile spreading across his cheeks.

“I’d love too,” she said “although, i’ll make sure you don’t get sugar in your hair next time.”

**Author's Note:**

> I had a lot of fun writing this, Mark Blackthorn is a joy


End file.
